This invention relates to piping and pipe couplings, and more particularly, to a coupling between two conduits which allows for telescoping motion thereof and relative pivotal motion therebetween.
In a typical design, the transmission of a vehicle is secured to a vehicle frame, and a pump is drivingly secured to the transmission. Conduit means interconnect a hydraulic tank and the pump. Depending on the positioning of the pump in relation to the transmission, and depending on the configuration of the conduit means interconnecting the pump and the tank, in order to remove the vehicle transmission it may be necessary to break certain hydraulic connections in the system, which may allow contaminants into the system, and necessitate later bleeding of the system. This is particularly true when the transmission is so situated that the pump must initially be removed therefrom and relocated relative thereto, to allow subsequent removal of the transmission from the vehicle.
It will therefore be understood that the conduit means interconnecting the hydraulic tank and pump will, with advantage, provide for a number of degrees of motion of the pump relative to the transmission and tank, without the breaking of any hydraulic connections in the system.
Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,848 to Bleasby, wherein pipes are connected in such a manner as to allow a degree of misalignment thereof, but it will be seen that no telescoping relation of the pipes exist. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,585,903 to Parrett, and 3,605,563 to Parrett disclose systems wherein conduits are in telescoping relation, but without any allowance for misalignment. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,653,695 to Dunton et al, and 3,825,287 to Erickson et al (assigned to the assignee of this invention) disclose systems wherein a slight degree of misalignment may be tolerated between a pair of conduits, but only through seal deformation, resulting in a less than completely-efficient sealing system for the conduits.